Christmas strikes: Government to hold crisis meetings as army called in December 11, 2022 The government will hold a series of crisis meetings this week to try and minimise disruption during widespread Christmas strikes, with the government now calling in the military. Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden will convene two Cobra meetings with ministers from several departments as the UK faces crippling strikes in hospitals, airports and railways. The [...]
Government ‘in talks with Tata Steel to provide £500m funding package’ – but 3,000 jobs at risk September 2, 2023 The Government is reportedly in advanced talks with Tata Steel to provide a £500 million funding package aimed at safeguarding the long-term future of a key part of Britain’s steel industry. The deal would secure £1 billion for the group’s Port Talbot steelworks but could lead to as many as 3,000 job losses, according to [...]
NHS strike action paused as government offers ‘extra £2.5bn’ March 16, 2023 NHS strikes are set to be paused after the government offered up “an extra £2.5bn” to fund a fresh pay deal for healthcare workers. It comes the day after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt faced criticism for failing to announce any measures on public sector pay in his budget, amid widespread industrial unrest. This includes all NHS [...]
Government bans TikTok on official devices over China security fears March 16, 2023 The government has banned the TikTok app on official devices, it has confirmed today. The Chinese-owned social media video app has been at the centre of security and data protection concerns in recent weeks. It follows moves by the European Commission (EC) and the United States to take action over the app’s use on secure [...]
Lord Goldsmith, accused of undermining partygate probe, quits government due to its ‘apathy’ on the environment June 30, 2023 Foreign Office minister Lord Goldsmith has announced his resignation over what he described as Government “apathy” towards the environment. In a scathing letter to the Prime Minister on Friday, the Tory peer accused Rishi Sunak directly of being “simply uninterested” in climate issues. The departure comes just a day after the peer was censured in [...]
Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey sign up to government’s cladding pledge April 5, 2022 Housebuilders Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey have signed the government’s developer pledge to remove unsafe cladding in tower blocks installed within the past three decades. The pledge commits house builders to fix dangerous cladding and other fire safety issues in buildings over 11 metres. Taylor Wimpey revealed it was signing up to pledge on Tuesday afternoon, [...]
Government’s plan to redirect asylum seekers to Rwanda grows clearer April 5, 2022 Plans to “outsource” the processing of asylum seekers is reportedly going ahead, with the prime minister expected to make an announcement soon. Boris Johnson wanted to announce a trial of the plans last week, following an uptick in migrant crossing along the Channel, The Times first reported. However, with the plans half-baked, according to [...]
A tale of two industries: Government will regret saving steel over Britishvolt January 23, 2023 The government could regret backing British Steel while leaving Britishvolt to collapse, writes energy editor Nicholas Earl.
Does the BBC’s Gary Lineker row show that the government has a problem with football? March 12, 2023 The weather forecast finished and then suddenly there it was: the BBC’s hurried replacement for Match of the Day following its spectacular bungling of the Gary Lineker row. Shorn of its theme tune, opening title, studio, presenter, pundits, commentators and about an hour of running time, this was bleak and surreal; a sort of post-apocalyptic [...]
UK government gives millions to China-backed semiconductor firm in Lincoln January 22, 2023 A microchip maker whose owner has alleged links to China's military has reportedly been handed £3m in government support.